Cho Kuk Elected as New Leader of the Innovation Party
Wins Overwhelming Approval with 98.6% in For-or-Against Vote
Cho Kuk, the newly appointed leader of the Innovation Party, declared on the 23rd, "I proclaim a 'people-centered, grand politics.'"
Cho Kuk, the newly appointed leader of the Innovation Party, is greeting after being elected as the party leader at the party convention held at Osco in Cheongju on the afternoon of the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News
Immediately after being elected as party leader at the "2025 National Party Members' Convention" held at Osco in Cheongju on this day, Cho presented his vision, stating, "We will evolve into a party where the sovereignty of the members and the sovereignty of the people are harmoniously realized." Cho was elected as party leader with an overwhelming approval rate of 98.6% through a for-or-against vote at this convention.
Cho stated, "With the 'New Party Vision' prepared by the Emergency Response Committee, we will open a new chapter in party democracy," and added, "We will become a 'future-oriented party' that embodies the 'Cheering Stick Revolution,' which repelled rebellion, into pluralistic democracy."
He said, "We will not engage in politics that relies on 'fandom,'" and emphasized, "The passion of the party members is the engine, and the voice of the people is the direction. The two voices will not go separately; we will pursue politics that moves forward together."
He continued, "With great values, a grand vision, and great responsibility, we will create a new life for the people and a new future for the Republic of Korea through 'grand politics.'" He stressed, "Although the Innovation Party is currently a small party, we will become a 'grand party' that considers the entire nation and the next generation."
In particular, as proposals to guarantee the right to housing, he suggested: ▲ legislating the public concept of land and relocating the administrative capital; ▲ normalizing property holding taxes; ▲ establishing a Land and Housing Bank and implementing a national REITs system; and ▲ the immediate passage of a special law on jeonse fraud. He argued, "The real estate market is a den of selfishness from multiple homeowners, greed from speculators, election strategies of parties and lawmakers, and the interests of private companies all tangled together. The Innovation Party will put an end to this. Politics that ignores the people's right to housing must step down on its own." He also proposed relocating the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to local areas.
Regarding constitutional revision, he stated, "I propose two paths for constitutional amendment: the immediate formation of a National Assembly coalition for constitutional revision, and holding a simultaneous vote on local elections and decentralization constitutional amendments. It is also essential to include the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising, the 5·18 Democratization Movement, and the 6·10 Democratic Uprising in the preamble to the Constitution."
Regarding next year's June 3 local elections, he said, "I did not enter politics based on political engineering. Even if there is only a 1% chance, I will continue to challenge myself for the historical tasks we must accomplish. Therefore, I will establish a bridgehead for innovation in local politics."
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